‘Get a grip’: Ex-News Corp bosses scathing of Rudd's Murdoch attack

Kevin Rudd’s description of Rupert Murdoch’s news outlets as a “cancer” against democracy that should be subject to an inquiry has been met by ridicule from ex-News Corp bosses who say the former Prime Minister should “pull his head in”.

In an opinion piece published by Fairfax Media on Monday, Mr Rudd was scathing of News Corp’s owner, saying there should be a royal commission into the future of Australian media ownership and a revisiting of the Finkelstein Media Review from five years ago. He further said Murdoch press operates as a “political party” with commercial interests and a far-right ideology, saying the media mogul enabled Trump, Brexit and the recent Liberal leadership reshuffle.

Kevin Rudd launched a scathing attack on the media over the Liberal leadership spill on Monday.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

Former News Corp Australia boss John Hartigan, who spent more than four decades at the media company including as editor of several major newspapers, said it was “nonsense” that showed Mr Rudd needed to “pull his head in”.

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“I’ve not known an editor in this country that has ever suggested Rupert Murdoch or any family member has instructed them to do anything [political with their news coverage]. I’ve spent 42 years in the joint and I certainly didn’t see that,” Mr Hartigan said.

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He also refuted Mr Rudd’s claim that Mr Murdoch was a “political bully and a thug who for many years has hired bullies as his editors”.

“The role of an editor is to be on the front foot and confident as they have to make so many decisions in a day ... I know many that are confident but I can’t think of any that fit the bill of bullies,” Mr Hartigan said.

“I’ve dismissed [the opinion] into the trash can where it deserves to be.”

Ray Finkelstein, a lawyer and judge who led the Labor-instigated independent investigation into media in 2011, told Fairfax Media he did not think another inquiry was a productive idea.

“I’m more interested in ensuring diversity of the press than controlling what the press says,” Mr Finkelstein said.

He agreed there had been a shift in News Corp-controlled Sky News’ strategy to opinion-based programming after 6pm, often called a “right at night” approach, that he looked at with “some bemusement”. However, he described it as “ranting” that has “very little credibility among rational people”.

Last week, Sky News Live averaged more than 75,000 people in the 6pm to 8.30pm timeslot over the weeknights. Peta Credlin’s Leadership Special broke its record for the highest rating episode as did Alan Jones and Peta Credlin’s Jones & Co, while Andrew Bolt’s The Bolt Report had its highest rated episode of the year.

Media buyers believe the debate has “a long way to play out” and do not expect advertisers will pull their advertising on the basis of Mr Rudd’s comments, saying it’s a far cry from the recent Sky News debacle that saw several brands boycott the channel after a segment where far-right extremist and convicted criminal Blair Cottrell proposed an Australian immigration ban.

“There may be some very politically attuned brands at the margins considering [a boycott], but I’d be amazed if they are taking pre-emptive steps,” a media buyer said.